Vanishing ministers, ousted officials rattle top Chinese brass

BEIJING: A sweeping purge of Chinese generals has weakened the People’s Liberation Army, exposing deep-rooted corruption that could take more time to fix and slow Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s military modernisation drive amid geopolitical tensions, analysts say.

China’s top lawmakers ousted nine senior military officers from the national legislative body on Friday, state media reported, a step that typically precedes further punishment for wayward cadres. Many of these were from the Rocket Force, a key arm of the PLA overseeing tactical and nuclear missiles.

The recent downfall of generals and military equipment suppliers, however, has punctured some of this aura, and raised questions over whether there has been adequate oversight over these massive military investments as China vies with the United States in key areas, including Taiwan and the South China Sea.

Since Xi took power in 2012, he has embarked on a wide-ranging anti-corruption crackdown among Communist Party and government officials, with the PLA being one of its main targets.

The nine PLA generals removed from the legislature hailed from several military divisions; three were former commanders or vice commanders of the PLA Rocket Force; one a former Air Force chief and one a Navy commander responsible for the South China Sea. Four officers were responsible for equipment.

“It is a clear sign that they are being purged,” said Andrew Scobell, Distinguished Fellow for China at the United States Institute for Peace.

‘More heads will roll’

Beijing did not explain why the generals were removed. Some analysts say the evidence points towards corruption over equipment procurement by the PLA Rocket Force.

“More heads will roll. The purge that centred around the Rocket Force is not over,” said Alfred Wu, associate professor, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in Singapore.

Wei Fenghe, a former defence minister who used to head the Rocket Force, has also vanished. When asked about his whereabouts, a defence ministry spokesman said in August that the military has zero tolerance for corruption.

His successor, Li Shangfu, was abruptly removed as defence minister in October without explanation after also disappearing for months. He had previously headed the equipment department. One of his then deputies was removed from parliament on Friday.

On the same day, Dong Jun, a Chinese ex-Navy chief, with a South China Sea background, was named Li’s replacement as defence minister.

Analysts say that while the Chinese military has long been known for corruption, the extent of the latest crackdown and the involvement of the PLA’s Rocket Force is shocking.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2024

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PTI to challenge rejection of nomination papers today

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: A day after most of its nominees failed to clear the scrutiny of nomination papers filed for the 2024 general elections, the PTI has decided to move election tribunals on Monday (today) to contest the rejection of nomination papers of scores of its candidates, including party founder Imran Khan.

Party’s Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan told Dawn all rejected nomination papers would be challenged. Mr Hasan said that as per the rules, the rejection of nomination papers would initially be challenged in the tribunals and then other options would be explored.

Similarly, PTI Central Punjab Additional General Secretary Sardar Azeemullah Khan told Dawn the party had asked all candidates to file appeals against ROs’ decisions.

He added that some candidates would be filing appeals with the appellate tribunals through private lawyers, while others would be offered party’s help. “The candidates have collected the certified copies of ‘rejection decisions’ from respective ROs on Sunday and will begin filing appeals with the appellate tribunals from today,” he told Dawn.

On Saturday, the Election Commission of Pakistan rejected scores of nomination forms from the PTI across the country — a move which the former ruling party decided to challenge at relevant forums.

Imran to decide on tickets in jail; party launches UK-based ‘WhatsApp account’ to expose rigging

Separately, Barrister Gohar Khan and Barrister Umair Khan Niazi will meet the party’s founder Imran Khan in Adiala Jail on Monday to get his approval for the selection of party candidates and the consequent award of tickets.

‘Glaring irregularities’

According to the Central Punjab nomination papers data, 281 candidates submitted their papers for 44 NA constituencies out of which 95 nomination papers were rejected, while 186 candidates’ nomination papers were accepted.

For 97 PP constituencies, as many as 603 nomination papers were submitted out of which 195 nomination papers were rejected, while 408 candidates’ nomination papers were accepted.

The PTI leaders alleged that the ROs appointed from the civil bureaucracy did not exercise their powers and decision-making and instead waited for orders coming from “quarters concerned”.

Citing a glaring example, the PTI leaders said that RO for NA-132 (Kasur-II) issued and displayed the “list of validly nominated candidates” that included PTI candidate Muhammad Saleem among a total of 19 candidates. However, the RO later issued a revised list of valid candidates, which reflected only 18 candidates minus Muhammad Saleem.

It may be mentioned that PTI candidate Sardar Azeemullah Khan had earlier reported that his nomination papers were scrutinised and found to be accurate, but the RO said he would issue a certificate only after receiving a confidential report from Islamabad.

The PTI leaders said the first phase of scrutiny of nomination papers was completed leaving question marks on the impartiality of the ROs as they did not react to the complaints lodged by the PTI. They added the candidates were harassed, proposers, and seconders were harassed, assaulted and arrested but the ROs did not instruct policemen to refrain from such activities.

‘WhatsApp monitor’

Separately, the PTI also launched a ‘WhatsApp’ account to seek video and pictorial evidence regarding the “pre-poll rigging” in the run-up to elections.

As a part of its strategy to expose poll irregularities at the ‘national and international’ level, the social media team of the PTI asked its supporters to share videos and pictures regarding rigging on its WhatsApp number registered in the United Kingdom.

“If you see or observe any pre-polling rigging in any constituency, please send details with pictures and videos to PTI SMT at the given number,” a message shared on PTI’s social media read. The PTI website also urged the people to register by Jan 5 for the membership of its social media cell, which would respond by Jan 8.

When Dawn tried to contact the UK-based contact number, there was an answering machine which asked this correspondent to record a message. A senior official of PTI said that the party was going through a tough time but still it felt that “it would be quite relevant” during the elections.

“Despite all efforts to keep the PTI members out of polls, a number of loyalists have succeeded in submitting their nomination papers. Even if we do not get the ‘bat’ symbol, the PTI will circulate the names of its nominees and their election symbols through social media. We know that the opponents still fear PTI so they will use all possible options for rigging. We have decided to collect the evidence of the rigging so that the flawed elections would be exposed at national and international levels,” he said.

When asked why a UK number was used for storing the potential evidence, the official said that it was used to circumvent chances of a crackdown on PTI’s social media wing. “Our members in the UK will approach the people and collect the data and then they will use it to expose rigging,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2024

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Nothing changes for Gaza on New Year’s Day

• Palestinians long for peace, but hopes of ceasefire seem farther than ever
• Israeli minister calls for return of settlers to Gaza

GAZA CITY: Israeli jets intensified attacks on central Gaza on Sunday, residents and medics said, as battles raged through the rubble of towns and refugee camps in a war that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said would take “many more months” to end.

Netanyahu’s comments signal no let-up in a campaign that has killed many thousands and levelled much of Gaza, while his vow to restore Israeli control over the enclave’s border with Egypt raises new questions over an eventual two-state solution.

Air strikes pounded al-Maghazi and al-Bureij in the centre of Gaza, killing 10 people in one house and driving more to flee to Rafah on the border with Egypt from front lines where Israeli tanks are battling Hamas fighters.

At least 48 Palestinians were killed in overnight bombing in Gaza City, the health ministry said, with many still buried under the rubble.

A Red Crescent video published on Sunday showed the chaotic aftermath of strikes in central Gaza, as rescuers worked in the dark to carry an injured child from smoking rubble.

As the year drew to a close, Palestinians in Gaza were praying for a ceasefire but had little optimism that 2024 would be better.

In Rafah on Gaza’s border with Egypt, which has become the biggest focal point for Palestinians fleeing other parts of the enclave, people on Sunday were more preoccupied with trying to find shelter, food and water than by the new year.

“In 2024 I wish to go back to the wreckage of my home, pitch a tent and live there,” said Abu Abdullah al-Agha, a middle-aged Palestinian man whose house in Khan Yunis was destroyed and who lost a young niece and nephew in an Israeli air strike.

“I wish for our children to live in peace and security, to go back to school, back to university, for workers to go back to work and find a source of income,” he added.

The Israeli bombardment has pushed nearly all Gazans from their homes, killed 21,822 people according to health authorities in the Hamas-run enclave, and left survivors facing hunger, disease and destitution.

Any hope of a political settlement to the conflict and Palestinians’ 75-year quest for self-determination appears further away than ever.

“Since October we’ve been struggling in tents in the streets, after our homes were demolished,” said Suzan Khader, weeping, adding that she wished the new year would bring an end to the war.

“Our whole lives are now on the streets, we eat in the streets, we live on the streets, we die on the streets, and even our children are on the streets and we’re all displaced. So many struggles in 2023,” she added.

People crowd around makeshift tents in Rafah that have sprung up on streets and pavements, in empty lots and fields. U.N.-run schools designated as shelters early in the conflict were rapidly filled with people whose homes were destroyed.

In their tents made with crude plastic sheeting, where people have only the minimum of belongings such as blankets and cooking utensils, people look back with fond sadness on their abandoned homes and lives.

“I hope in 2024 that everything is fixed and for life to go back to normal,” said Muna al-Sawaf, 12, from Gaza City, playing with a kitten in the rubble. “I want life to go back to normal, get dressed, run errands again, our homes to be rebuilt.”

Call to settle Gaza

In yet another admission of Tel Aviv’s designs to permanently occupy and settle the Gaza Strip, far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Sunday called for the return of Jewish settlers to the strip after the war, and said that its Pales­tinian population should be encouraged to emigrate.

“To have security we must control the territory,” Smotrich told Israel’s Army Radio in response to a question about the prospect of re-establishing settlements in Gaza. “In order to control the territory militarily for a long time, we need a civilian presence.”

Israel unilaterally withdrew the last of its troops and settlers in 2005, ending a presence inside Gaza that began in 1967.

All settlements on occupied Palestinian land are regarded as illegal under international law, regardless of whether they were approved by Israel. Smotrich also said Israel should “encourage” the territory’s around 2.4m Palestinians to relocate to other countries.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2024

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Fog continues to disrupt flight, train schedules

LARKANA: People ride a rickshaw on a foggy morning, on Saturday. Although Punjab suffers the most from air pollution, the menace has started troubling Sindh as well. Poor visibility led to cancellation of several flights and delayed departure of trains from Lahore and other stations in Punjab.—AFP

LAHORE: The foggy weather continues to disrupt flight and train schedules adversely, leading to the cancellation of various flights and delaying the departure of express trains from Lahore and other major stations in Punjab.

Official sources said fli­ghts, including PIA’s Jed­­dah-Karachi, Islamabad-Jeddah, Peshawar-Kara­chi, and some others, were ca­­ncelled, while several others either couldn’t land or depart from Karachi and other airports in Punjab.

Similarly, trains, including Karakoram Express, Business Express, Millat Express, and some others, also departed from Lahore to various destinations late by three to four hours from their actual departure timings.

Traffic disrupted

Heavy fog and smog disrupted traffic on roads in Bahawalpur, especially in the morning, due to very low visibility on Saturday, APP adds.

Traffic was very thin on the roads in Bahawalpur city on Saturday morning due to dense fog.

The local Met Office has forecasted that the region might continue receiving fog and smog for the next few days.

Meanwhile, an Envir­o­n­ment Protection Depar­tment (EPD) team in Sargo­dha sealed three kilns for violating rules against smog.

The teams sealed Mian Mumtaz Bricks Kiln, Shandaar Bricks Kiln, and Ranjha Bricks Kiln.

Published in Dawn, December 31st, 2023

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Army chief for ushering in another ‘Green Revolution’

ISLAMABAD: The head of the armed forces assured farmers on Friday that the country wanted to focus on “agriculture first” to regain the lost glory of the Green Revolution, which once saw Pakistan being counted among Asia’s fastest growing economies.

“There are rumours and negative things being said about Pakistan… an environment of uncertainty, despondency and anarchy is being created through false reports on social media to portray as if the state is losing its authority,” he said during his address at the National Farmers’ Convention.

However, he assured the audience that initiatives of the Special Inves­tment Facilitation Council (SIFC) would pay off and allow the country to “come out of economic crisis” and on the path to a progressive and prosperous future, a PM Office statement quoted him as saying.

“Farmers are [the] backbone of our agriculture sector. It is your untiring hard work, toil and determination that plays [a] pivotal role in ensuring food security for millions of Pakistanis,” he told the audience, which included, federal ministers, agriculture experts and other senior government officials.

Pledges to suppress all kinds of mafias, with the nation’s support

“Pakistan is endowed with immense potential and abundant resources. Together, we will navigate through these challenging times, by the grace of Allah, and attain our goals across every sector,” he said.

He noted that the country was laden with some of the richest natural resources and could be returned to its former glory by adhering to the basic principles put forward by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, i.e. unity, faith and discipline, PTV News and the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted him as saying.

Talking about the Green Pakistan Initiative, in which the Pakistan Army would play its role to serve the people and facilitate farmers, he said that a major chunk of its revenue would go to the provinces, while the rest would be allocated for farmers and agricultural research.

Vowing to suppress all kinds of mafias, with the nation’s help, the army chief revealed plans to make ‘agricultural malls’ in all districts, where various facilities would be available for farmers.

“Provision of easy agricultural credit, cold storage chain, climate change resistant seeds and genetically engineered livestock will be ensured,” APP quoted him as saying.

According to the PM Office, Gen Munir pointed to the challenges posed by climate change and water scarcity in ensuring the country’s food security, noting that this necessitated the use of technology and close collaboration between the public and the government, as envisioned under the aegis of the SIFC

While the army chief was the guest of honour at the occasion, a PM Office statement said that caretaker prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar were also present on the occasion.

PM Kakar also appreciated the collaborative work of ministries and departments for achieving various milestones under the SIFC umbrella and stressed the need to expedite various initiatives.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2023

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Nepra approves Rs1.72 per unit hike for KE consumers

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Friday approved a hike of around Rs1.72 per unit for K-Electric (KE) consumers on account of quarterly adjustments for electricity consumed in the second and third quarters of 2023.

In its notification for adjustment in electricity rates of KE, Nepra said the tariff increase would apply to all consumer categories except lifeline consumers.

The notification said there were two components to the tariff hike: Rs0.47/unit to be recovered for April, May and June and Rs1.25/unit to be recovered for July, August and September.

It added that the amount would recovered in the three-month period from January to March 2024.

Nepra said it sent its approval to the federal government for notification.

The notification said the federal government had already previously approved the hike in accordance with the National Electricity Policy 2021 to maintain a uniform consumer-end tariff for KE and state-owned distribution companies.

Earlier this month, Nepra had notified an additional fuel cost adjustment of Rs3.08/unit for consumers of ex-Wapda distribution companies with a net financial impact of about Rs28.5 billion for electricity consumed in October.

According to Nepra’s notification, the adjustment will apply to all the consumer categories except Electric Vehicle Charging Stations and lifeline consumers and will be separately in December’s bill.

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ECC asks EOBI to clear Rs2tr pension dues

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet has asked the Employees’ Old-Age Benefit Institution (EOBI) to devise a comprehensive plan to clear the Rs2 trillion dues of pensioners.

The decision was made during the ECC meeting, which was presided over by Caretaker Finance Minister Shamshad Akhtar, which approved the budget for the EOBI.

EOBI Chairperson Ms Naheed Durrani gave a comprehensive presentation to the ECC to highlight its performance.

The ECC was informed that EOBI’s contribution collection had remained stagnant during past years but had recently witnessed a substantial increase of around Rs100bn. The ECC appreciated EOBI for its good performance and directed it to follow the budget calendar and prepare a long-term plan to clear the Rs2tr liabilities.

It is worth noting that EOBI was praised for its performance for increased collection, owing primarily to an increase in employee contributions, while there is no clear plan in place to clear the surging pension dues.

The ECC also directed the National Price Monitoring Committee to continue regular coordination with the provincial governments for measures to ensure price stability and to check hoarding and profiteering.

The direction was given following a presentation by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics on the inflation situation and the latest price trends of various essential commodities across different cities. There is a marked difference in retail prices in markets and district deputy commissioners’ price lists. The gap in prices can be minimised through administrative measures.

The ECC meeting observed that the proposal to include TAPI project as a Qualified Investment Incentive Package under the Foreign Investment (Promotion and Protection) Act 2022 (FIPPA) required further deliberation and examination of the legal aspects, incentives and concessions. The forum, however, observed that it was a much-needed project and should be launched without delay.

The meeting approved the principles for the settlement of capacity deduction issues of imported coal-based projects and subsequent execution of side agreements with Port Qasim Electric Power Company as proposed by the Power Division.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023

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Govt initiatives to revitalise economic activities in Karachi: Gohar

KARACHI/ISLAMABAD: While announcing initiatives to bring down the cost of doing business to spur industrial activities in the country’s economic nerve centre, Caretaker Commerce Minister Gohar Ejaz on Thursday said that Karachi is going to have a Garment City besides an enormous area of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) will be converted into a special zone for industrial development.

Presiding over a meeting with businessmen of Karachi at Governor House on Thursday, the minister said a modern infrastructure has been planned on 300 acres of Karachi Garment City (KGC) while a plug-and-play environment unit will also be set up followed by water recycling and treatment plants.

The board of directors of KGC approved a plan to transform 300 acres into export processing zones where land will be offered on a lease basis, while the fate of PSM will be decided on Friday.

After multiple failed attempts to sell off PSM since 2019, the government shelved the idea and transferred the country’s largest steel producer to the Ministry of Industries and Production in November.

Port city will have 300-acre garment city and zone on Pakistan Steel Mills’ land

According to a reliable source, a delegation led by Mr Ejaz would meet with Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Maqbool Baqir to make a final decision regarding establishing a special economic zone (EPZ) or export processing zone (EPZ) on PSM territory.

The meeting will include three federal secretaries of commerce, industry, and the board of investment. The details of the plan will be decided on Friday, the source added.

The federal cabinet was informed in October that upgrading the PSM would cost $1.4 billion. However, it was unclear from where funds would be raised for its resurrection.

The PSM plant currently has a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes per annum (mmtpa), with the potential for additional growth to 3mmtpa.

Chairing the KGC board meeting, Mr Ejaz said that investment in contemporary and environmentally friendly projects will be increased.

He claims that as a result of these facilities, industrialists’ manufacturing costs will fall and KGC’s exports will skyrocket.

According to an official announcement from the commerce ministry, the commerce minister also met with representatives of the Pakistan Business Council (PBC) to explore ways and measures to revitalise the city’s exports at the Governor’s House.

Pakistan has enormous economic potential that has to be exploited and explored, he said, adding that the business community should step up and seize this chance.

Answering a question, the minister said that we must be optimistic about Pakistan because it is endowed with natural resources and would grow into a significant economic force in the future.

He urged the corporate community to step up and take advantage of the 250 million people. He stated that with such a large population, Pakistan’s economy is $350bn, while China’s economy is $5.5 trillion.

Furthermore, Pakistan has a $25bn trade deficit with China. “We should come forward and reduce the trade deficit by increasing exports to China,” he stated.

Gas holiday

On the potential of Karachi, he said that because there’s a seaport, Karachi is a business hub of Pakistan, therefore, the business community should utilise the prospects of the city’s business environment.

Acknowledging the energy issues, the minister said that gas and electricity tariffs are being rationalised but “we need to shift our industries to renewable energies as well.”

Meanwhile, Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL) on Thursday said that due to the shortages the gas supply to all industries including their power generation units and all CNG stations in Sindh (including those being operated on RLNG) will remain suspended for 48 hours from 8am on Dec 30.

SSGCL, in a statement, said it would take strict action against any industry found violating this gas holiday period and subsequently their gas supplies will be disconnected for at least seven days.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023

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Nawaz ‘cleared’ to contest NA seat in Mansehra

LAHORE: The nomination papers of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for Mansehra’s NA-15 constituency were reportedly approved by the respective returning officer on Thursday, whereas separate decisions were reserved on objections to the nomination papers of PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari and ex-premier Imran Khan in Lahore.

In NA-15, objections were moved against Nawaz Sharif by PTI leader Azam Swati through his representative Shahid Rafiq, a local party leader. The papers, however, were initially cleared by the RO after she rejected the objections.

The PTI leader argued that the PML-N supreme leader had been disqualified for life by the Supreme Court and added the RO was not authorised to approve the nomination papers. But Mr Sharif was cleared.

In Lahore’s NA-122 constituency, the nomination papers of ex-PM Imran Khan were contested on grounds of his punishment in the Toshakhana case. The objector said the court had only suspended the sentence, not the conviction handed out to the PTI leader in the case. It was claimed that the approver was not a voter in the NA-122 constituency, which meant that they could not become an approver.

ROs reserve decisions on challenges to Imran, Bilawal’s bids for Lahore seats

Mr Khan’s counsel contested the claim and said the approver was registered as a voter in the same constituency, but his name was removed from the rolls due to the new delimitation on Dec 15. The lawyer further said that the ECP could not punish anyone, adding that Article 62 and Article 63 did not apply to the former PTI chairman.

In NA-127, PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari was represented by Irfan Qadir, who argued that the person who objected to the nomination papers of the PPP chief was not a registered voter in the constituency.

The returning officer reserved the decision after hearing arguments. Ali Qasim Gilani, Lahore PPP President Chaudhary Aslam Gill, and others were also present at the hearing. Mr Gill is the covering candidate for Mr Bhutto-Zardari from the constituency.

The PPP leaders believed that the RO would set aside the objections because the person who contested the papers was not authorised to do so under the election rules. They wondered how a resident of Narowal could object to the nomination of a candidate for a Lahore seat.

NAB, FBR reports

On the other hand, reports from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) related to various candidates, who have filed papers for NA-102 (Faisalabad-VIII) and other constituencies, have been received by the respective returning officers.

According to a document, the NA-102 (Faisalabad) RO has received reports from the respective institutions about the nomination papers filed by Adil Rafi Cheema, Shahzad Karim, Umar Farooq, Shafat Ali, Changez Khan, Muhammad Latif, Khurram Shahzad, Muhammad Yaqoob Rashid Chaudhry, Javaid Niaz Manj, and others. However, the clearance reports related to the papers of Farrukh Habib and others have not arrived yet.

“The ROs in all constituencies sought clearance of the candidates from NAB, FBR, SBP etc. But the ECP is reluctant to talk on clearance-related information,” a source told Dawn on Thursday. A spokesperson for ECP (Punjab) was not available for comments.

Amjad Mahmood in Lahore and Nisar Ahmad Khan in Mansehra also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023

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Probe into harassment claims during Afghan repatriation

RAWALPINDI: An inquiry has been launched against the police officials on the federal government’s order to the chief secretary and IGP Punjab to take disciplinary action against those found responsible following a complaint by the Afghan Embassy that some Afghans, who are living in Pakistan legally, faced harassment in which a child also allegedly lost his life.

The complaint was lodged during a meeting held between the Afghan Embassy officials and Pakistani authorities in Islamabad earlier this month.

During the meeting, the Afghan officials claimed that two Afghan nationals — Yaseen and Muhammad Ala, who are holders of Proof of Registration (PoR) for Afghan Refugees card — were harassed and threatened by an official of Civil Lines police station Rawalpindi and money was demanded from them.

They added that an Afghan child Abdul Rahman, who was also holder of a PoR card and a resident of Lala Musa, died allegedly from torture by several people when he was collecting from the ground money thrown in celebration during a wedding party in Gujrat.

But, the Afghan officials pointed out, the police registered a “wrong” FIR under Section 322 (qatal bis sabab) of PPC, instead of under Section 302 (murder), and did not punish the suspects which was an “unfair” decision of the police.

The Ministry of Interior and Foreign National Security Cell, Islamabad, sent a letter titled “Meeting with Embassy Officials” to the chief secretary and IGP Punjab Dr Usman Awar following the meeting held at Fata House, Islamabad, regarding the repatriation of Afghans living illegally in Pakistan.

The interior ministry also informed the additional chief secretary and IGP Punjab that Abdul Rauf Afzal, SHO of Wahdat Town Police Station, Lahore, harassed an Afghan businessman at Zam Zam Tower, Muslim Town, Lahore, and that this was the third time that the SHO had harassed the Afghan nationals, taking them to the police station.

Earlier on Nov 30, SHO Afzal took some Afghans to the police station, where the Afghans saved themselves by paying Rs15,000 indirectly to the police.

The interior ministry officials expressed deep regret and condemned all such actions.

The interior ministry directed the additional chief secretary and the IGP Punjab to investigate the matter immediately and take strict disciplinary action against the responsible persons.

It asked them that a detailed and comprehensive report on these incidents should be submitted to the ministry.

Meanwhile, the IGP has given orders to Regional Police Officer Rawalpindi Syed Khurram Ali, RPO Gujranwala, and Capital City Police Officer Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana that the issue should be carefully looked into and a detailed report be sent to the IGP office by Jan 1.

An inquiry has been started against the police officers and officials in Lahore and the official who was accused of harassing Afghans residing legally in Rawalpindi.

Published in Dawn, December 29th, 2023

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Pakistan’s current economic model is not working: World Bank

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s current economic model is not working since it has fallen behind its peers, significant progress in poverty reduction has now started to reverse, and the benefits of growth have accrued to a narrow elite, observes World Bank Country Director Najy Benhassine.

“There is a broad consensus that action is needed to change policies that have plagued development, benefitted only a few, and led to very volatile and low growth,” Mr Benhassine stated in a Policy Vision article, published in the latest UNDP publication.

Pakistan is heavily exposed to climate change, with the potentially devastating impacts of climate shocks and natural disasters already apparent, he said in Development Advocate Pakistan, the UNDP’s quarterly development magazine providing a platform for Pakistan’s authorities, civil society and intelligentsia to exchange ideas on key development solution pathways in the country.

Mr Benhassine emphasised that policy failures and distortions in the critical agri-food and energy sector must be addressed. In agriculture, reforms are required to unwind the subsidies and price restrictions that lock smallholder farmers into a low-value farming system and encourage resource-intensive and environmentally damaging production practices.

Country director says action needed to change policies holding back development

Reforms in energy sector should consolidate progress towards financial sustainability, improve the efficiency of distribution companies, including through increased private participation, and address the very high costs of electricity generation through increased renewable generation, the World Bank official said.

The need for such policy shifts has been well established, but experience shows that any reform efforts will face opposition.

“The question is whether those with power and influence will take the opportunity arising from the current crisis to do what is needed. It is time for Pakistan to come together in the interests of a brighter, more prosperous, and more sustainable future,” the World Bank country director stressed.

He said fiscal management must be drastically improved, and debt servicing costs and domestic revenue mobilisation are at unsustainable levels, leaving inadequate resources to invest in human development and infrastructure, address economic challenges, and adapt to a changing climate.

Reforms are required to consolidate and improve the quality of government spending, including by cutting regressive and distortionary subsidies, and reduce losses from inefficient state-owned enterprises, including in the energy sector. More revenue must be raised from the better-off, through increased progressive taxation of property and environmentally-damaging activities, as well as reducing tax exemptions, he suggested.

The World Bank official further said that improved living standard will require stronger growth and a more dynamic and open economy. Protection of inward-oriented sectors, or distortions in taxation that favour non-tradables, all need to be reduced to encourage exports.

The overall business environment needs to improve, especially for smaller firms; cutting red tape as well as opportunities for costly discretion in the government’s dealing with businesses is paramount. Durably addressing structural macroeconomic imbalances, particularly on the fiscal side, will remain a prerequisite to ensure a more stable economic environment to attract investors, Mr Benhassine said.

The Country Director of Asian Development Bank in Pakistan, Yong Ye, said in his vision the ADB considers consistent country policies and an uninterrupted reform momentum as necessary conditions to provide a conducive environment for addressing the complex economic challenges that limit long-term growth and achieving effective outcomes from development assistance.

Mr Yong Ye stated that ADB has been a key partner in the transformation of the country, and is committed to continuing serving in the next phase of Pakistan’s development — with a vision to promote prosperity, inclusiveness, resilience, and sustainability, under the ADB Strategy 2030.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023

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PIA operating with half its fleet amid financial woes

RAWALPINDI: Pak­istan International Air­lines (PIA) is operating at half of its capacity, with only 15 of its 29 modern aircraft currently in service, officials said.

This reduction came as the national flag carrier recently grounded 14 aircraft after financial constraints prevented it from buying necessary spare parts.

According to official sources, PIA’s operational fleet now comprises six Boeing 777 wide-body twin-engine aeroplanes, eight Airbus A320 narrow-body jets for short/medium haul routes, and one ATR aircraft.

This ATR has been particularly valuable for PIA, facilitating access to remote destinations across the country. However, the airline’s ability to provide such services has been hindered by the ongoing financial challenges.

Adding to PIA’s woes, two of its Airbus A320 aircraft were stranded in Indonesia since September 2021 due to a leasing dispute. Recently, one of these aircraft was retrieved and reintegrated into the fleet following a visit by a high-level PIA delegation and the aviation secretary in October.

The airline anticipates the return of the second stranded Airbus A320 by the end of this month, after settling outstanding payments with the leasing company.

A PIA spokesperson highlighted the acute funding shortages impacting the airline, leading to the grounding of several aircraft needing spare parts and maintenance. “With the government’s help, we hope to secure some crucial funding that will revive the majority of PIA’s fleet,” he said.

Meanwhile, PIA’s operations have been further disrupted by low visibility and heavy fog, particularly affecting flights from and to Lahore, Multan and Sialkot.

The PIA spokesperson advised passengers to check flight statuses with the airline’s call centre before heading to the airport.

Bag with Rs4m valuables returned

In a separate development, the Islamabad International Airport management returned a lost bag containing valuables worth about Rs4 million to a passenger on Wednesday.

After arriving in Islamabad from Karachi, a female passenger inadvertently left her bag in a baby changing room in domestic arrivals located at Level 2 of the terminal building, a Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson said.

The bag — containing 110 UK pounds (Rs22,830), 10 tolas of gold, two smartphones and a Swiss watch — was found by sanitary attendant Sobia Asif and handed over to the Lost and Found office.

Following verification, the bag was returned to its rightful owner, Tabassum Ara, who expressed gratitude towards the CAA management and Ms Asif.

In recognition of her honesty and professionalism, Ms Asif was awarded a certificate of appreciation and a monetary reward worth Rs25,000.

Published in Dawn, December 28th, 2023

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India bolsters Arabian Sea forces after shipping attacks

MUMBAI: India’s navy said it is deploying three warships and reconnaissance aircraft in the Arabian Sea to “maintain a deterrent presence” after a string of recent shipping attacks.

Three guided-missile destroyers as well as P8I long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft were being deployed following “the recent spate of attacks in the Arabian Sea”, it said in a statement late Monday.

Washington accused Tehran of carrying out a drone attack on Saturday on the MV Chem Pluto tanker 200 nautical miles (370 kilometres) off the coast of India, claims Iran’s foreign ministry dubbed “worthless”.

It was the first time Washington has openly accused Iran of directly targeting ships since the start of Israel’s war on the Palestinian group Hamas, which is backed by Tehran.

Navy deploying warships, reconnaissance aircraft to ‘maintain deterrent presence’

The Liberian-flagged and Japanese-owned MV Chem Pluto was moored off India’s port of Mumbai on Monday.

“Analysis of the area of attack and debris found on the ship points towards a drone attack,” India’s navy said, adding “further forensic and technical analysis will be required”.

Elsewhere, in the Red Sea, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have carried out a string of drone and missile attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza.

Yemeni rebel attacks have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, a much longer voyage with higher fuel costs.

New Delhi is also boosting its anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden after Somali pirates this month hijacked the bulk carrier MV Ruen.

India’s navy said it had shadowed the Bulgaria-owned and Malta-flagged vessel after it was seized by Somali pirates 380 nautical miles east of the Yemeni island of Socotra on December 16.

The Somali pirates, who released one injured sailor into the care of the Indian navy, took the MV Ruen and its remaining 17 crew members to Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where it is now moored off the city of Bosaso, the navy said.

India had also sent a guided-missile destroyer to the region as part of “augmenting the anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden”, the navy added.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast peaked in 2011 — with the gunmen launching attacks as far as 3,655km from the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean — before falling off sharply in recent years.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2023

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High court hands ‘bat’ back to PTI

• PHC judge asks ECP to restore party’s electoral symbol, publish certificate of intra-party polls
• Chairman Gohar Ali Khan lauds court, says ECP has ‘acted like an adversary’

PESHAWAR: In another legal victory for the PTI, the Peshawar High Court on Tuesday suspended an order of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which had declared the former ruling party’s intra-party polls ‘void’ and revoked its electoral symbol last week.

Justice Kamran Hayat Miankhel pronounced a short order on a petition, jointly filed by PTI Chai­rman Barrister Gohar Ali and six other leaders, requesting the court to declare the Dec 22 verdict of the ECP without jurisdiction.

“In the meantime, the impugned order dated Dec 22, 2023, is suspended with further direction to the Election Commission to publish the certificate [of PTI’s intra-party polls] on its website and restore the election symbol of PTI. This order will be operative till Jan 9, 2024,” the single-judge bench ordered, while issuing notices to the respondents, including the ECP.

“...as elections are sche­d­uled to be held on Febr­uary 8, 2024, and the last date for allotment of election symbols is Janu­ary 13, 2024, so keeping in view the urgency, that a political party had been denuded of its symbol, meaning thereby that asp­i­rants from general public who were willing to vote for the petitioners’ party were divested of their right to vote as per their choice,” the judge wrote.

Following the order, the PTI termed it a historical decision, vowing that the people of the country would bring the most peaceful and unprecedented revolution in history through their power of vote on Feb 8 by bringing the PTI to power with a thumping majority.

In a statement issued by the party’s central secretariat, a PTI spokesperson said that the provincial court provided solid support to the supremacy of the Constitution, rule of law, survival and continuity of democracy and people’s right to vote in the country through its significant decision, which would have a far-reaching impact on the political horizon of the country.

Court proceedings

A panel of senior lawyers appeared for the petitioners, including Barris­ter Syed Ali Zafar, Qazi Muhammad Anwar, Barr­ister Gohar Ali, Ahmad Awais, Dr Babar Awan, Sher Afzal Marwat, Shah Faisal Uthmankhel, Ars­had Ahmad, Syed Sikan­der Hayat, Inam Yousa­fzai, Ali Zaman, Mashal Yousafzai, and others.

While nobody turned up for the ECP, the federal and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments were represented by Additional Atto­rney General Sanaullah Khan and Additional Advocate General Danyal Chamkani, respectively.

Advocates Naved Akhter and Jehanzeb Shinwari appeared for one of the respondents Jehangir Khan, a resident of Charsadda, who was also a petitioner before the ECP against the PTI’s intra-party polls.

The PTI lead lawyer Barrister Syed Ali Zafar argued that the ECP had no jurisdiction to decide whether an intra-party election, held on its direction on Dec 2, was according to the party’s constitution or not.

Barrister Zafar argued that as per section 208 (5) of the Elections Act 2017 if a political party failed to conduct intra-party polls as per the given time frame in their constitution, a show cause notice should be issued to such political party, and if the party fails to comply with the directions of the ECP, then the commission should impose fine which may extend to Rs 200,000 but should not be less than Rs 100,000. He contended that in no case the ECP could declare the intra-party elections of the political party illegal.

“As per section 209 of the Elections Act, 2017, the elections were held and the certificate was presented as per Form-65, but the Election Commission instead of publishing the certificate on its website, issued show cause notice to the petitioners, asking why their elections should not be declared illegal, as they had not been conducted as per their political party constitution,” he stated.

Barrister Zafar further argued that the impugned order was passed by the ECP in haste. He added that none of the petitioners before the ECP were members of the PTI and they had no legal position to challenge the party’s polls.

AAG Sanaullah Khan requested that the petition be fixed before a division bench after the court’s winter vacation, which would end on Jan 8. To a query put by the bench about the number of political parties in the country, he stated that 175 parties had been registered with the ECP.

Justice Miankhel asked whether any other political party had also been issued any notice by the ECP. The AAG argued that the ECP had the mandate to declare intra-party polls illegal if they did not conform to a party’s constitution. He opposed giving interim relief to the petitioners arguing that suspension of the ECP’s order amounted to giving a decision over the entire petition.

The bench observed that the ECP’s order would “completely oust” a political party from the polls and if tomorrow the court decided that the impugned order was illegal then what would happen? Advocate Naveed Akhter also opposed the petition, stating that the ECP had the powers under the Elections Act to declare intra-party polls of a party ‘void’.

‘Most popular party’

Following the court’s verdict, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan and Barrister Ali Zafar, in a media talk, lauded the PHC, stating that the court had provided relief to the “most popular political party” in the country.

Barrister Gohar termed the court’s order of immense importance, stating that they had filed priority lists of candidates for 225 reserved seats for women and non-Muslims across the country and without the election symbol the fate of those candidates was uncertain. “While I do not want to say anything against the ECP; in the instant case, it has acted like a rival party and not as a neutral judge,” he said.

Barrister Zafar said that they had a firm belief in the rule of law and for the same reason they had approached different courts to get justice.

Published in Dawn, December 27th, 2023

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In Jaranwala, Christmas eclipsed by memories of tragedy

A PROCESSION of carol singers makes its way through back streets, gathering singers as they go.

Jaranwala: Rukhsana Bibi stands amid the rubble of her home, which was damaged in the mob violence that swept through this Punjab town in August of this year.—AFP

Starting from the church, a pastor, two drummers and over a dozen enthusiastic singers shine phone torches to illuminate the dark streets, summoning more people to join their ranks.

The children are dressed in their Christmas best, singing their favourite carol lines. Some of the older boys throw small firecrackers, giggling as their mothers shout at them.

These were the scenes in Jaranwala, which was the site of terrible mob violence in August this year, which left the local Christian community fractured and angry.

According to a BBC News report, the christian community prepares for Christmas while living with the damage and shock of the attack. According to the victims, the trauma is so bad that a scream on the street is enough to bring the horrible flashbacks of the day where they saw their belongings burning into ashes.

“We don’t feel secure here,” said Sonam, who lives on one of the streets in Jaranwala that saw the worst violence. Her house still awaits repairs.

“The money has been paid, but once divided amongst all the relatives who live in the building, it wasn’t enough. The damage was extensive and the repair work is taking time,” Saima, another resident said.

She claims that her entire family, including herself, her siblings, and children, received two million rupees. However, a portion of that sum went towards covering rent for those who no longer reside there. Presently, Saima and her sister-in-law occupy the sole inhabitable room.

After the attacks, some criticised the police, slamming their failure to prevent the destruction or intervene before the situation spiralled out of control.

The police arrested over 350 individuals after the incident, promising justice. The government pledged support for rebuilding trust and structures. All 22 attacked churches have been renovated and reopened, adorn­­ed with fresh paint and new carpets.

Approximately 25 per cent of the initial 350 arrests are still incarcerated, according to the police. The rest are released on bail, yet authorities emphasise that charges will be pursued against all of them.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023

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Will abolish 17 ministries if voted into power: Bilawal

NAWABSHAH: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said on Monday that 17 federal ministries had become redundant after the 18th Amendment, and would be abolished if his party came to power, adding that the Rs300 billion saved in this way would be utilised for the people’s welfare through the kissan, mazdoor and youth cards.

Energy parks will be set up at the district level under the public-private partnership and up to 300 units of free electricity will be provided to poor families, he announced.

Sharing key points of PPP’s manifesto while addressing the 3rd passing-out parade of Bakhtawar Cadet College for Girls Nawabshah as the chief guest, he said Pakistan was facing an economic crisis, climate change issues, population explosion and poverty but all these problems would be overcome by burying the politics of divide and hatred.

He said it was Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who gave an ideology and the slogan of roti, kapra and makan decades ago, adding that these basic necessities are still needed the most.

PPP chairman shares salient features of party’s manifesto; promises 300 units of free electricity to poor families; Zardari advises PTI to ‘work hard’

Mr Bhutto-Zardari said PPP had prepared a manifesto that was friendly for the poor, the masses, farmers and labourers.

Highlighting the risks posed by climate change, he said Pakistan was located in the Himalayan range, and that experts were predicting that the region would first face floods due to the melting of glaciers, followed by a severe shortage of water. The PPP government, he added, would start projects to address the problems caused by climate change.

He said it would be the target of the next government to double salaries within next five years, so that people could counter the inflation.

Boosting the agriculture sector would not only lead to strengthening of economy but also bring the country in a position to compete with the world, he pointed out. He said like the Benazir Income Support Programme, PPP would introduce a Hari card for peasants, a Mazdoor card for labourers and a youth card for the youngsters of the country.

“We would give direct subsidy to the kissan instead of mill-owners and the same card would also cover crop insurance or some other compensation in case of any disaster,” he promised.

The PPP leader said, “We would establish a youth centre and provide youth card to the younger people as it is their right to be provided education and job opportunities.”

The youth centres to be established in every district will have digital library, free Wi-Fi, vocational training and career counseling as well as cultural and sports facilities, he said, adding that steps would also be taken for the employment of Pakistani youths abroad.

Zardari optimistic

Meanwhile, his father, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari expressed confidence that his party would form the next government.

Talking to journalists after the scrutiny of his nomination papers for NA-207 outside the RO office in Shaheed Benazirabad, the former president said the future of the Peoples Party was bright and the next prime minister would be from his party.

Answering a question about the future of PTI, Mr Zardari said PTI should work hard now as previously they came to power without any struggle.

According to the district returning officer, Mr Zardari’s nomination papers were found to be in order and accepted after scrutiny.

The ex-president would proceed to Garhi Khuda Bukhsh on Tuesday (today) to attend the 15th death anniversary of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

NA-207 Nawabshah-I [previously known as NA-213] is the home constituency of Mr Zardari. He won the general elections from this constituency in 2018. Before that, the seat remained occupied by his elder sister Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho in 2002, 2008 and 2013 elections.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023

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‘Bloody Christmas’ sees more than 70 killed in Gaza

GAZA: Even on Christmas day, the land where Jesus Christ was born remained in the crosshairs of the Israeli military, which continued its relentless bombing of Gaza, as well as launching raids in West Bank cities such as Bethlehem, on Sunday.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said on Monday that war with Israel since early October has killed at least 20,674 people in the Palestinian territory.

The ministry added that 54,536 people have been wounded since the start of Israeli hostilities.

The health ministry said that an Israeli air strike killed at least 70 people at the Al-Maghazi refugee camp.

Biblical Bethlehem also among West Bank towns raided by Israeli forces

Palestinian health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qidra said the toll was likely to climb, adding: “What is happening at the Maghazi camp is a massacre that is being committed on a crowded residential square”.

Before dawn, an Israeli strike “targeting a house” in the central Al-Zuwaida area killed at least 12 people, mostly women and children, the Gaza health ministry said.

In a separate attack, the ministry said 18 people were killed in an overnight strike on Khan Yunis.

Meanwhile, festivities in Bethlehem, the revered birthplace of Jesus Christ in the occupied West Bank, were effectively scrapped amid the conflict and Israeli raids, leaving the city’s usually vibrant streets with only a handful of worshippers and tourists.

Christmas day in the occupied West Bank began with an attack on the Jenin refugee camp and several arrests, according to Al Jazeera.

The raid on Monday morning followed several others across the territory, which saw dozens of arrests and the shooting in the neck of a 17-year-old boy.

On Monday, the Jenin-based Freedom Theatre, a popular symbol of peace and hope that was recently raided and vandalised by Israeli soldiers, described how Israeli forces lit up the sky “with flare bombs” whilst raiding the camp.

Regions in and near Nablus, Jericho, Ramallah and Bethlehem — which Christians believe is the birthplace of Jesus Christ — were also raided overnight by Israeli forces, Al Jazeera reported.

In the village of Burqa, northwest of the city of Nablus in the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces arrested at least 20 people, including senior citizens.

Moreover, Palestinian news agency Wafa said that a 17-year-old boy was injured after he was hit in the neck when Israeli forces fired live ammunition during a raid in the town of Aqaba, north of Tubas.

In southern Gaza, an AFP correspondent reported heavy bombings through the night in Rafah and Khan Yunis. In the north, live AFPTV footage on Monday morning showed a long plume of smoke extending across the horizon.

Grasping empty containers, dozens of Gazans waited on a street in Rafah for food to be distributed.

“Now there is real hunger. My children are dying of hunger,” said one of them, Nour Ismail.

Vast areas of Gaza lie in ruins and its 2.4 million people have endured dire shortages of water, food, fuel and medicine, alleviated only by the limited arrival of aid trucks.

Eighty percent of Gazans have been displaced, according to the UN, many fleeing south and now shielding against the winter cold in makeshift tents.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023

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Indian army ‘orders probe’ into custodial deaths of Kashmiris

SRINAGAR: Three days after the death of at least three Kashmiri civilians after being tortured in the custody of Indian forces whose video leak sparked outrage in the disputed region, a military official said on Monday that the Indian army launched an investigation into the incident and moved senior officers from the disputed area, though the defence spokesperson claimed he was unaware of any inquiry.

Residents in the area said that the civilians had been detained for questioning after an alleged attack on Indian army vehicles on Thursday, killing four soldiers.A purported video clip showing Indian personnel stripping three men and sprinkling chili powder on them has gone viral on social media, causing widespread outrage in the region.

The inquiry was ordered as a result of the civilians’ deaths, said the official, who asked not to be identified because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

Indian army chief Manoj Pande visited Poonch on Monday to review the operational preparedness of the troops, said defence spokesperson Suneel Bartwal. “I have no knowledge about the inquiry ordered into deaths of civilians in Poonch,” he said.

Military official also says senior officers moved out of disputed area; defence spokesperson expresses ignorance of inquiry

Pakistan “strongly condemns” the deaths of the civilians, its foreign ministry said in a statement, calling for the people responsible to be held to account.

Mohammad Sidiq, councillor of Topa Pir village, said nine people, including his 26-year-old shepherd nephew, were picked up by Indian troops on Friday for questioning.

“One of them was let off and eight others were tortured, and three, including my nephew Shoukat Ahmad, were killed,” he said.

Mr Sidiq said the people tortured in the video were the men found dead near the ambush site. “Where is the law and where is the justice? I even get death threats for raising my voice against these three deaths,” Sidiq said.

Authorities cut off internet services on smart devices in Poonch and Rajouri on Saturday morning, a common tactic to dispel possible protests and discourage dissemination of the videos, AP reported.

On Sunday, Pakistan strongly condemned the barbaric custodial killing of the Kashmiri civilians in Baffliaz, Poonch district.

The Foreign Office spokesperson, in a statement, asserted that the slain civilians were tortured to death at a camp of the Indian Army.

The FO spokesperson emphasised that the perpetrators of the custodial killings must be held accountable, she said.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2023

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PTI activist rearrested in cow theft case in Chakwal

CHAKWAL: A PTI activist, who was detained under Maintenance of Public Order (MPO) on Dec 21, was rearrested shortly after getting released from Jhelum prison on Dec 22 — this time on cow theft charge, sources told Dawn on Sunday.

Mohammad Naseeruddin Babar alias Babar Gujjar was among the four PTI activists who were detained on Dec 21 under the MPO on the order of deputy commissioner (DC) Chakwal.

Advocate Syed Najamul Hassan, the lawyer of PTI’s president Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, Malik Akhtar Shahbaz, PTI’s candidate for PP-22; PTI Choa Saidan Shah tehsil general secretary Malik Ehsan Mehmood and Babar Gujjar, an office-bearer of PTI’s Youth Wing in Choa Saidan Shah, were detained under MPO on Dec 21 on the order of DC Chakwal. However, after the arrest of Advocate Syed Najamul Hassan, the district administration faced intense pressure from the District Bar Association as well as the Punjab Bar Council and had to release the four detainees.

The deputy commissioner, therefore, issued the release order early Dec 22 morning. In her order, she said after receiving a letter from the district police officer (DPO) in which the police officer stated that law and order situation had significantly improved so further detention of these four persons was no longer required.

“As these four persons were released from Jhelum prison, Malik Akhtar Shahbaz was rearrested by Kallar Kahar police in May 9 incident while Babar Gujjar was sent behind bars in a cow theft case,” PTI’s district general secretary Advocate Chaudhry Tallat Mehmood told Dawn.

According to the FIR registered on Sept 18, Mohammad Atif, a resident of Minhala village in Choa Saidan Shah tehsil, told the police that his cow, which was valued at Rs60,000, did not return home in the evening after day-long grazing in a jungle and expressed the apprehension that it might have been stolen

Police neither failed to trace his cow nor the thief for three months. However, on the night of Dec 21, police picked up Babar Gujjar in that case as soon as he came out of the prison.

When contacted, the complainant, Mohammad Atif, told Dawn that Babar Gujjar could not have taken his cow as his village Chhumbi was far away from that of Gujjar.

Police have taken the physical remand of Babar Gujjar for two days.

When contacted, Investigating Officer Rehmatullah confirmed to Dawn that Babar Gujjar had been arrested in a cow theft case. “He would be discharged from the case if he is proved innocent,” the officer added.

Advocate Tallat Mehmood condemned police action and termed it a mockery of law and authority.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2023

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Vested interests may spur post-election policy reversals, World Bank fears

• Apprehends rollback of commitments on gas, power subsidies, tax measures and trade tariffs
• Indicates willingness to support Pakistan in coordination with IMF
• Says broader, deeper reforms needed to support fiscal consolidation, increase investment

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank fears that following the upcoming elections, strong and organised vested interests may spur a number of potential reversals on critical policy reforms — committed to multilateral lenders — posing ‘high’ macroeconomic risks to Pakistan.

The possible reversals include the rationalisation of gas and electricity subsidies, lower trade tariffs and better property tax realisation.

“Stakeholder risks are high due to strong and organised vested interests, potentially advocating to reverse critical reforms, particularly trade tariff reforms, increases to property taxation and energy sector reforms,” said the Wash­ington-based lending agency in an assessment of its recently approved $350 million loan under second Resilient Institutions for Sustainable Economy (Rise-II).

The bank, however, expre­ssed willingness to provide further support in tandem with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) under another medium-term loan programme to be signed by the newly elec­ted government, subject to the successful progression of the ongoing reform measures, for even deeper and broader reforms.

“Political and governance risks are high because of the upcoming elections, as associated political pressures may erode fiscal restraint or the commitment to continued implementation of challenging reforms,” it said, adding the priorities and commitment to structural reforms of the future government were also unknown.

“Macroeconomic risks are also high, with reserve cover at end of SBA (stand-by arrangement) projected to be below 1.5 months of imports. Additional external support will thus be needed following completion of the SBA,” it said.

Moreover, additional macroeconomic risks also result from weak public finances, the heavy exposure of the banking sector to government borrowing, and curtailed growth due to shortages of critical imports. On top of that, “institutional capacity for implementation and sustainability risk is high due to the need for provincial-federal coordination and frequent turnover of senior government officials in critical positions,” the bank pointed out.

The bank has shed some light on the “broader and dee­per reforms” that the country would have to undertake over the next couple of years once the new political dispensation holds ground following the Feb 8 general elections under the next IMF programme, which is almost a foregone conclusion by now. Caretaker Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar had also recently confirmed the inevitability of a fresh IMF programme.

“Over the medium term, broader and deeper reforms will be required to support necessary fiscal consolidation, improve confidence, and increase investment,” said the World Bank, which has been working closely not only with the IMF but also with other regional multilaterals like the Manila-based Asian Develop­ment Bank (ADB), the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and Pakistan’s bilateral partners, including China and the US.

The long list of required reforms include the reduction of protectionist trade policies, elimination of distortive agricultural subsidies, and rationalisation of federal government expenditures over subject areas that are devolved to the provinces. This has been at the centre of discussions nowadays between the federation and its federating units, including limiting the federal funding to development projects and schemes of provincial nature.

The reform menu also pertains to “expanding the tax base by increased taxation of assets, property, and sectors traditionally outside the tax net, particularly agriculture, small retail, and real estate, further reduction in tax exemptions and effective implementation of the treasury single account to reduce government borrowing needs.

Also on the agenda are further push for accelerating energy reforms, both electricity and gas, particularly to reduce costs and losses stemming from distribution and transmission. Measures to cut red tape and ease the business environment along with effective steps for reducing losses of the state-owned enterprise (SOEs), particularly via privatisation and concession to the private sector.

“Without such reforms, private external flows will be limited, and import restriction is expected to be required to preserve foreign exchange reserves amid pent-up demand, weighing on economic activity and imposing long-lasting economic scarring. Foreign investment will remain low and the government will continue to lack access to external commercial borrowing,” the bank warned adding that gross financing needs will remain elevated, leading to the continued accumulation of domestic debt and associated risks to fiscal and debt sustainability.

The World Bank noted that while progress against this reform agenda cannot be guaranteed in the current political context, ongoing World Bank engagements will support continued reform in key areas, including GST and property taxation reform under provincial and federal revenue and public finance investment projects, besides energy reforms under investment project support for improved efficiency of distribution companies (Discos) and ongoing analytical support for electricity and gas tariff reforms.

On the positive side, the World Bank noted that there had been broad support for critical fiscal management and revenue reforms across the political spectrum while the private sector had highlighted the importance of a harmonised tax jurisdiction, a single regulatory entity, and a competitive and stable trade policy.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2023

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Risk to polio fight gains made over 18 months highlighted

ISLAMABAD: The Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations on the international spread of poliovirus has warned that re-infection of epidemiologically-critical areas and historical reservoirs in Pakistan and Afghanistan represent a significant risk to the gains made during the last 18 months.

The emergency committee, in a statement issued in Geneva on Friday, says the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus remains since the actual spread of Type-1 Wild Poliovirus (WPV1) lineages seen predominantly in Afghanistan in 2022 now being detected in Pakistan in 2023. In this regard, the statement mentioned historical reservoirs like Karachi and the Quetta block in Pakistan and Kandahar in Afghanistan.

According to the statement, high-risk mobile populations in Pakistan represent a specific risk of international spread to Afghanistan in particular, compounded by the large number of returnees from Pakistan into various parts of Afghanistan.

The large pool of unvaccinated ‘zero dose’ children in southern Afghanistan also constitutes a major risk, while some areas in Afghanistan still only allow site to site or mosque to mosque immunisation response, which has been shown to be less effective than the house to house modality.

Two more samples in ‘imported cluster’ found positive

The statement says although it is likely transmission of WPV1 has been interrupted in Malawi and Mozambique, the route from Pakistan to Africa remains unknown. The committee expressed disappointment on the pockets of insecurity in the remaining endemic transmission zones.

There have been four new cases of WPV1 in Pakistan since the last meeting in August, bringing the total to six in 2023. There has been a large increase in environmental detection, with 60 positive samples found in the three months from September to November, bringing this year’s total to 82.

Detection

Two more environmental samples have been found positive for the polio virus, as according to sources in Pakistan’s National Polio Laboratory at the National Institute of Health (NIH), the lab has confirmed the detection of WPV1 in environmental (sewage) samples collected from Karachi South and Chaman districts. A health ministry official said the virus in both samples belonged to the imported virus cluster. “Samples of sewage water from the area are a basic parameter to determine the success of polio campaigns. Moreover, the presence of virus in sewage also shows that the immunity level of children in the area has fallen and they are at risk of catching the disease,” he added.

According to the IHR committee statement, new transmission is occurring in Quetta, Karachi, Islamabad-Rawalpindi and Peshawar blocks after a period of non-detection. Although implementation of a polio action plan in southern KP has resulted in 160,000 more children being vaccinated, the context remains challenging: political instability, insecurity in some areas, with front line workers requiring police patrols to accompany them, and vaccination boycotts where communities make demands for other services in exchange for allowing polio vaccination. The programme continues to miss a significant number of children in Pakistan.

Since the last meeting, there have been no new WPV1 cases reported from Afghanistan, where the total number of cases remains six, all from Nangarhar province. However, there have been 46 WPV1 positive environmental samples to date in 2023, mostly from the endemic East Region (Nangarhar and Kunar provinces), but recently also in environmental samples from Kabul, Kandahar, Zabul and Balkh provinces. This indicates spread of WPV1 from the endemic zones of Afghanistan (East Region) and Pakistan (South KP) and is a reversal of recent progress.

The programme is implementing high quality campaigns and reaching more children than ever before, but the quality will have to be increased further and sustained. Any setback in Afghanistan poses a risk to the programme in Pakistan due to high population movement.

The recent major increase in the number of Afghan returnees from Pakistan has compounded the challenges in Afghanistan, though close coordination is being maintained with UNHCR and IOM for vaccination at their centres and for information sharing. Districts with significant influx of returnees will be included in the upcoming polio vaccination campaigns, the statement says.

Published in Dawn, December 24th, 2023

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PTI complains aspirants being forced out of poll process

• Party reports dozens more incidents of nomination papers being snatched, supporters being ‘picked up or thrashed’ • LHC disposes of Niazi family’s plea regarding snatching incident in Mianwali after police deny allegations
• ECP ‘takes notice’ of candidates being deprived of nomination papers, orders action

LAHORE/CHAKWAL: Despite assurances from the poll watchdog and judiciary, the PTI continued to be targeted as nearly anyone and everyone from the party going to receive or submit nomination papers for the Feb 8 elections reported being stopped, arrested or harrassed, the embattled party complained on Friday.

In several cases, party hopefuls were not even allowed to reach the returning officers, belying the caretaker government’s claim about providing a level playing field to all.

Meanwhile, the Lahore High Court disposed of a petition against an alleged incident of nomination papers being snatched in Mianwali after police denied any such incident.

According to party’s lawyers, police have prepared a list of over 50 PTI leaders, who are already booked in May 9 riots cases registered across Punjab, effectively preventing them from entering the poll process.

PTI leaders told Dawn that their constitutional right was being trampled by the police.

On Friday, incarcerated Dr Yasmin Rashid’s husband Rashid Nabi Malik was arrested from the RO’s office, when he went to submit her nominations papers. Mr Malik was injured in a scuffle with police when he resisted to give them her papers to contest against PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif.

PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan in an X post urged the ECP chief “to take note and order this madness to stop”.

Otherwise, he stated, “Should we assume that the elections that will be conducted in Pakistan will be the most controversial and rigged elections in the history of Pakistan”.

PTI leader Moonis Elahi tweeted that her mother went to the Gujrat RO to submit the nomination papers but police locked the office from inside.

Mr Elahi stated, “PTI candidates’ proposers and seconders are being arrested and tortured too”.

PTI central Punjab additional general secretary Sardar Azeemullah Khan told Dawn the government was targeting every potential person in the party, nominating them in FIRs, proceeding to block their CNICs and bank accounts or raiding their homes to harass and humiliate family members to ensure they should stay out of polls.

Mr Khan said his son tried to file papers for NA-124 “but a sub-inspector stopped him from doing so and astonishingly ARO Rana Ashraf happened to be the first cousin of PML-N candidate from the same constituency”.

In Lahore, nomination papers of Hafiz Farhat were snatched from his lawyers, while Hammad Azhar’s house was raided and police kept searching for nomination papers.

Jail officials did not allow Hassaan Niazi and Sanam Javed to sign their nomination papers.

In Hafizabad (NA-67 & PP-37), nomination papers were snatched from Imran Haider Bhatti and Chaudhry Shaukat Bhatti allegedly by the DSP concerned. Police raided party leaders’ Deras/outhouses and residences and picked up family members.

In Gujranwala, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali’s nomination papers for PP-62 were torn outside the RO office. Usama Hamza from Gojra (NA-105) was picked up, though he was released next day by a court.

Nomination forms of Zahid Iqbal (PP-234 Vehari) were snatched. PTI aspirant from Pasrur Haider Gill was detained at RO’s office, while police allegedly snatched papers of a candidate from Wazirabad, Ahmad Chattha.

In Sargodha (NA-84), the RO refused to accept the nomination papers of Shafqat Awan. In Gujranwala (NA-77), Tariq Mahmood’s nomination papers were not received by the RO.

In Bahawalpur, police raided the residence of Samiullah Chaudhry and ransacked the furniture.

In Talagang, the lawyer of PTI president Chaudhry Parvez Elahi was taken into custody from the premises of the RO office. Separately, Ehsan Mehmood and Babar Gujjar were picked up.

Police also raided the houses of five other PTI leaders but they were not present at their residences.

No PTI candidate could submit their nomination papers as ROs were not present at their offices.

Insaf Lawyers Forum’s Syed Najamul Hassan visited the RO’s office in Talagang to submit Mr Elahi’s nomination papers for NA-59 and PP-23, but he said he was not allowed to file the papers.

The District Bar Association condemned the move and announced a strike for Saturday (today).

When contacted, the DRO told Dawn that nomination papers of some candidates could not be received due to Friday prayer break.

“Papers of all candidates would be received as the last date has been extended for two days,” the DRO maintained.

Police deny charge

An LHC bench disposed of a petition against an alleged incident of snatching of nomination papers from a PTI aspirant in Mianwali after police denied the incident.

A law officer submitted a report on behalf of the Mianwali DPO saying no such incident had occurred. It said police did not receive any such complaint.

Justice Ali Baqar Najafi directed the police to ensure no harassment is caused to the petitioner or any other person seeking to submit the nomination papers.

Barrister Lamia Niazi had filed the petition, saying her father Ziaullah Khan Niazi was returning from the district courts after collecting nomination papers on behalf of PTI’s Barrister Umair (NA-89 and NA-90) when DSP Qaiser Sheikh snatched the papers from him.

ECP takes notice

In a related development, the ECP has taken strong notice of the snatching of nomination forms from potential candidates and has sought necessary action against those responsible.

“It has been learnt through the media, and various complaints are also being received in this office regarding difficulties faced by potential candidates in receiving and submission of nomination papers. Snatching of nomination papers is also being reported

in media,“ read separate but identical letters sent to provincial chief secretaries, inspectors general of police and provincial election commissioners with the signatures of ECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan.

It said the commission has taken serious notice of the matter and directed that necessary action under the law must be taken, with intimation to the commission. Similar letters have also been sent to chief commissioner and IG police, Islamabad.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023

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Supreme Court’s reprieve may not bail Imran out of jail — for now

• Ex-PM also serving sentence for two corruption cases, facing 150 other charges
• Qureshi appears poised to return to political arena after securing bail

ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan’s journey to freedom remains arduous despite bail granted by the Supreme Court in the cipher case on Friday because of his ongoing incarceration in two other corruption references and about 150 other cases registered at police stations across the country.

Shah Mehmood Qureshi, on the other hand, appears poised for a swift return to the political arena after securing bail.

Besides, the Supreme Court’s ruling supersedes the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) previous order directing the special court to conclude the cipher case trial within four weeks. This could potentially decelerate the trial’s progress.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq had earlier dismissed Mr Khan’s petitions for acquittal and bail in the cipher case on Oct 27. Mr Shah Mehmood QureshiKhan and Mr Qureshi’s counsel subsequen­tly challenged this dismissal.

Arrested since Aug 20 in the cipher case, Mr Qureshi was also implicated in nine FIRs for alleged involvement in violent protests.

In two FIRs registered with Police Station Khanna, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad in September dismissed his bail plea for non-prosecution as he was confined at Adiala Jail and could not appear before the judge, Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain.

According to Ali Bukhari, Mr Qureshi’s counsel, the order dismissing his client’s bail petition was challenged before the IHC and the matter was referred to the ATC again.

The ATC judge then granted bail to Mr Qureshi in both FIRs, he said, adding that there was nothing against the former minister to justify his confinement.

He said the legal team has applied for a certified copy of the Supreme Court’s judgment to deposit surety bonds for Mr Qureshi.

Political analysts speculate that Mr Qureshi’s release might lead to a shift in PTI’s leadership dynamics, with the outgoing chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, potentially becoming irrelevant.

Mr Qureshi, previously a strong candidate for PTI’s cha­irmanship, had his candidacy withdrawn due to the risk of conviction in the cipher case.

Sources said that Barrister Hamid Khan was also offered the chairmanship post, but he excused himself because of his professional commitments, after which Barrister Gohar’s name was finalised.

Meanwhile, former premier Imran Khan faces an uphill battle with his ongoing arrest in two NAB references — Toshakhana and £190 million corruption.

NAB Chairman Nazir Ahmed Butt has issued Mr Khan’s arrest warrants in both cases.

Both cases are pending be­­fore Islamabad’s accountability court, where Judge Moham­mad Bashir will hear the bail pleas on Dec 23 and Dec 27.

A NAB prosecutor indicated that the accountability court might take at least a month to decide the bail plea in one case. Besides, the dismissal of bail can be challenged before the IHC, which can take another month or so to decide the matter.

Under the National Accou­n­tability Ordinance, the accou­ntability court could not entertain the bail plea. However, an amendment to the law introduced by the previous government led by the Pakistan De­­m­ocratic Movement (PDM) em­­p­­owered the accountability judge with bail-granting power.

In August, Accountability Judge Mohammad Bashir dismissed Mr Khan’s bail plea for non-prosecution. However, the IHC division bench reinstated the petition and referred it to the accountability court for a rehearing.

The NAB prosecutor said that unless the accountability court and the IHC decided the bail expeditiously, Mr Khan could not come out of the jail before mid-February.

However, PTI’ spokesperson Shoaib Shaheen has expr­essed hope that Mr Khan will be released from jail before the upcoming general elections.

Mr Shaheen argued that Judge Bashir could grant bail to Mr Khan in both cases, enabling him to lead the PTI’s election campaign.

However, if the accountability court dismissed the bail plea, it would be highly unli­k­ely for Mr Khan to get bail from the IHC or the Supreme Court before the elections due to paucity of time, Mr Shaheen said.

He claimed that the £190m settlement case was without any substance, whereas in the Toshakhana case, in which Mr Khan is accused of not declaring state gifts and selling them at a huge premium, NAB did not accuse those responsible for determining the price.

As far as 150 other cases registered against Mr Khan in Islamabad and other provinces, legal experts say that the former premier is not likely to be arrested in these cases.

Among these cases, 46 are registered with the Islamabad Police, according to a senior official of the Islamabad Police. The arrest of Mr Khan in these cases is unlikely, as he is already on bail in most of them.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023

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Trump pressured officials to throw out Biden’s win: report

WASHINGTON: Donald Trump urged two Michigan election officials not to certify Democrat Joe Biden’s victory in the state following the 2020 presidential election, personally calling them in a pressure campaign reminiscent of his Georgia tactics, the Detroit News reported.

In a Nov 17, 2020, phone call, the then-president told two fellow Republicans on the Wayne County Board of Canvassers not to sign the state election’s certification, saying they would look “terrible” and must “fight for our country”, according to recordings of the call reviewed by the Michigan news outlet.

Wayne County is the Midwestern state’s most populous county and includes Detroit, a Democratic city with a significant Black majority population. In the recordings, Trump says Republicans had been “cheated on this election” and that “everybody knows Detroit is crooked as hell”, according to the report published on Thursday.

In a 2020 phone call, the then-president told two fellow Republicans not to sign the state election’s certification, Detroit News reports

The reported call comes as Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican 2024 nomination, faces federal and state criminal charges over allegations he conspired to overturn the 2020 presidential election in an effort that culminated in a violent attack on Congress.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and blasted the charges as a political witch hunt aimed at thwarting his campaign while also continuing to spread false claims of widespread voting fraud in 2020.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung, asked about the Michigan report, said: “Trumps actions were taken in furtherance of his duty as President of the United States to faithfully take care of the laws and ensure election integrity, including investigating the rigged and stolen 2020 Presidential Election.” In Georgia, Trump faces charges over his efforts to overturn his loss to Biden, including a personal phone call to Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to “find” enough votes to reverse his defeat in that state, which the official declined to do.

Michigan authorities have filed felony charges against 16 Republican state residents for their role in an alleged false electors scheme following the 2020 presidential election. They have not charged Trump.

“It does underscore the fact that there is evidence that the former president did actually try to pressure local officials to block the certification of a fair and legitimate election,” Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson told CNN on Thursday night, adding that she had been unaware of the recordings until the report.

Representatives for Benson and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, both Democrats, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters.

Representatives for Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel, who was reported to have been on the Michigan call, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

McDaniel told the Detroit News she stood by her request to the county board “that there was ample evidence that warranted an audit.”

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023

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UN Security Council finally passes watered-down call for Gaza aid

• 13 of 15 members back resolution seeking immediate acceleration of aid supplies, US and Russia abstain
• UN chief laments how Israeli bombing is hampering humanitarian relief efforts

UNITED NATIONS: Following numerous delays and intense negotiations, the UN Security Council finally adopted a significantly diluted resolution on Friday, which calls for an immediate acceleration of aid deliveries to Gaza. But it falls short of demanding an “urgent suspension of hostilities,” as originally proposed in the UAE draft.

Thirteen of the 15 council members voted in favour of the resolution, with no member state voting against it.

The United States, leading the weeklong consensus negotiations, abstained due to the absence of a condemnation of Hamas. Russia also abstained, labelling the resolution as ‘toothless’ and asserting that it permits Israel to continue military operations against the Palestinians.

Their abstentions, however, allowed the resolution to pass, as a negative vote by any of the five permanent UNSC members would have blocked it. The vote followed a US veto of a Russian amendment that aimed to reinstate the call for a suspension of hostilities. Ten members supported the amendment, the US opposed it, and four abstained.

The resolution does not weaken Israel’s control over aid deliveries to the 2.3 million people in Gaza, monitored via the Rafah crossing from Egypt and the Israeli-controlled Kerem Shalom crossing.

The softened language on a cessation of hostilities has left Arab and Muslim states frustrated, as they align with the Russian perspective that this approval effectively allows Israel to persist in attacking targets in Gaza and the West Bank.

“By endorsing this, the council would essentially be granting the Israeli armed forces complete freedom of movement for further clearing of the Gaza Strip,” warned Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia before the vote.

Russia proposed amending the draft to revert to the original text, calling for “an urgent and sustainable cessation of hostilities,” but the US veto thwarted Moscow’s proposal.

Earlier this month, the 193-member UN General Assembly called for a humanitarian ceasefire, with 153 states supporting the move. This had been previously vetoed by the United States in the Security Council.

Talking to reporters after the vote, UN Secretary-General Ant­ónio Guterres expressed concern over Israel’s offensive in Gaza.

“The real issue lies in how Israel is conducting this operation, creating significant impediments to the distribution of humanitarian aid within Gaza,” he said.

Mr Guterres emphasised the prerequisites for an effective aid operation, including security, safe working conditions for staff, logistical capacity, and the resumption of commercial activity.

Highlighting the dire situation, he pointed out that 1.9 million people, constituting 85 per cent of Gaza’s population, have been forcibly displaced. He stated, “The health system is severely strained, with southern hospitals operating at three times their capacity and northern facilities barely functional.” Guterres underscored the challenges UN personnel may encounter while implementing resolutions in the midst of these issues.

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US representative, expressed a cautious optimism about the recently passed resolution, describing it as “a glimmer of hope amongst a sea of unimaginable suffering”. She emphasised the need for immediate release of hostages, unhindered humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law.

However, Thomas-Greenfield voiced dismay over the UNSC failure to condemn the attacks by Hamas on October 7, stating, “We are appalled that it was again unable to condemn the horrific terrorist attacks committed by Hamas.”

Further clearing of Gaza Strip

Russian Ambassador Vassily A. Nebenzia accused the US of delaying the vote on the UAE-proposed draft, alleging tactics of pressure and blackmail. He raised concerns about the neutering of the draft and warned that accepting it could grant “Israeli armed forces complete freedom of movement for further clearing of the Gaza Strip.”

However, French Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative Nathalie Braodhurst, said that the resolution calls for urgent measures to be taken to create the conditions for a lasting cessation of hostilities. “We would have preferred the Council to speak more ambitiously on this subject,” she said, noting that on Thursday, the president of France recalled the crucial importance of immediately working towards a ceasefire that alone would allow the reopening of an essential political horizon.

China’s Deputy Permanent Repre­sentative, Dai Bing, welcomed the resolution despite unmet expectations. He emphasized the need for faster aid delivery to Gaza and urged Israel to cease collective punishment. China’s vote for the Russian amendment, aimed at expanding humanitarian assistance, faced a veto.

Ambassador Barbara Woodward of the UK supported the resolution, highlighting its potential to streamline aid checks and scale up the humanitarian response. She underscored the importance of maintaining a two-state solution for lasting security and stability in the region.

Before the vote, UAE Ambassador Lana Zaki Nusseibeh highlighted the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, warning of a looming famine. She described the resolution as a product of extensive consultations, aiming to address the humanitarian crisis and protect those delivering life-saving aid.

Published in Dawn, December 23rd, 2023

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